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Pappas attacks TV bosses, ND in wake of Council of State decision

A day after the Council of State upheld appeals lodged by six TV channels against a government auction of broadcasting permits, State Minister Nikos Pappas said Greece’s left-led administration would not yield to pressure coming from “vested interests.”

In comments made to state broadcaster ERT on Wednesday morning, Pappas, who oversaw the controversial tender, accused TV bosses as well as the conservative New Democracy opposition of seeking to topple the SYRIZA government.

“In order to topple the government, the opposition is throwing its weight behind vested interests,” Pappas said.

In a decision that went against the advice of the court’s rapporteur, 16 judges late Tuesday voted to uphold the appeals against the auction with nine rejecting the appeals.

The unexpected move paves the way for the judges to discuss whether a law drafted Pappas, which allowed the auction to reduce the number of nationwide TV licenses to four, is in line with the Constitution.

If the judges take issue with the law, the government will probably be forced to reverse the competition and return fees paid to the state by winners of the auction.